budapest Walking tour
Walking tour on Buda side
walking distance: 5 km
approx. 3 hours
Emergency number: Andrea +36 30 9625425 (phone, What's app, Viber)
general rules
23 October 1956
Revolution and War of Independence
The 1956 Revolution and War of Independence was a revolution of the people of Hungary against Stalinist terror and the Soviet occupation, and one of the most defining events in 20th century Hungarian history. It began with a peaceful demonstration by students from the universities of Budapest on 23 October 1956. On the orders of the Communist Party leadership, the unarmed crowd was fired upon by soldiers in a bloody volley, turning the peaceful demonstration into an armed uprising that night and finally winning the day on 30 October when the Party building was taken.
This led to the fall of the government, the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the restoration of a multi-party system and the beginning of the country’s democratic transition. The new government began negotiations with the Soviet Union on the complete withdrawal of Soviet troops, withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and the neutrality of the country. However, after an initial reluctance, the Soviet political leadership changed its mind and, having counted on the Western powers not to come to the aid of the Hungarian government, Soviet troops launched an undeclared war against Hungary at dawn on 4 November. In the face of disproportionate overwhelming force, the heroic revolution thus ultimately failed.
In the fighting, 2,652 Hungarians and 720 Soviet citizens died, and some 200,000 Hungarians fled the country, while the revolutionaries were imprisoned en masse and many executed.
About budapest
Budapest is Hungary’s largest city and is located in the heart of the country. It was one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture during the 15th century. The center of Budapest is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is Hungary’s commercial, financial, and educational center.
Budapest was united from three municipalities, Buda, Pest and Óbuda, in 1873.
There are settlements in the area dating back to prehistoric times. Then, around the beginning of AD, the Romans conquered the Transdanubian region and established a legionary camp here. After the fall of the Huns, Slavic tribes settled here alongside the Avars. In the Middle Ages, the seat of the Árpád kings was settled here, but the developing city was devastated by the Mongol hordes during the Tartar invasion. The House of Anjou kings developed it further, Matthias made it great, and then it lost its importance again under Turkish rule.
Like many other cities, World War II destroyed the city. Of course there were restorations, bridges, buildings and so on.
World War II and the 1956 revolution were followed by almost forty years of Soviet rule, during this time the country was completely cut off from European life. After joining the European Union (2003), the city started to develop again.
Today Budapest is a truly European city. It is the administrative, economic, cultural, scientific and tourist centre of Hungary.
Geographically, Budapest is located in the central, northern part of the country. It is divided by the Danube to Pest and Buda. We are on the Buda side, which is hillier and greener. The Pest side is a flat area and also has many attractions, for example the Parliament, Budapest Eye, Heroes’ Square and Városliget, Opera House and many beautiful buildings on Andrássy street, the Synagogue, Danube Promenade with Vigadó, Margaret Island.
About budapest
Budapest is Hungary’s largest city and is located in the heart of the country. It was one of the centers of Renaissance humanist culture during the 15th century. The center of Budapest is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is Hungary’s commercial, financial, and educational center.
Budapest was united from three municipalities, Buda, Pest and Óbuda, in 1873.
There are settlements in the area dating back to prehistoric times. Then, around the beginning of AD, the Romans conquered the Transdanubian region and established a legionary camp here. After the fall of the Huns, Slavic tribes settled here alongside the Avars. In the Middle Ages, the seat of the Árpád kings was settled here, but the developing city was devastated by the Mongol hordes during the Tartar invasion. The House of Anjou kings developed it further, Matthias made it great, and then it lost its importance again under Turkish rule.
Like many other cities, World War II destroyed the city. Of course there were restorations, bridges, buildings and so on.
World War II and the 1956 revolution were followed by almost forty years of Soviet rule, during this time the country was completely cut off from European life. After joining the European Union (2003), the city started to develop again.
Today Budapest is a truly European city. It is the administrative, economic, cultural, scientific and tourist centre of Hungary.
Geographically, Budapest is located in the central, northern part of the country. It is divided by the Danube to Pest and Buda. We are on the Buda side, which is hillier and greener. The Pest side is a flat area and also has many attractions, for example the Parliament, Budapest Eye, Heroes’ Square and Városliget, Opera House and many beautiful buildings on Andrássy street, the Synagogue, Danube Promenade with Vigadó, Margaret Island.
BatthyÁny tér (Batthyány square)
The first stop
Szent Anna Plébánia (St. Anne’s Parish Church): was built in Baroque style and completed in 1761.
The square is also the site of the market hall, which was actually a market from 1902, but over time it was transformed into a shopping centre.
Two famous Hungarians’ statues can also be seen here. Lajos Batthyány was Hungary’s first constitutional prime minister (1848), who was later executed as a martyr.
The other statue is of Ferenc Kölcsey, poet, politician and language reformer. His poem Hymnus, set to music by Ferenc Erkel, became the anthem of Hungary (22.01.1823 – this day is the Day of Hungarian Culture).
The square is an important transport hub, the terminus of the HÉV and many buses, as well as a stop for the tram.
If we follow this road along the bank of the Danube, we will reach our next stop, Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar).
parlament (parliament building)
from the buda side
The construction of the Parliament began in 1885, but was not completed until 1904. The eclectic neo-Gothic building was designed by Imre Steindl. It is not only impressive to look at, but also impressive in size: 268 metres long, 118 metres wide and 96 metres high. It has a built-up area of more than 17 000 square metres and ten courtyards.
The building is enriched by 90 external and 152 internal sculptures. The amount of 22-23 carat gold used for decoration is around 40 kilograms.
The façade has a total of 88 statues depicting rulers, Transylvanian princes and generals.
The building houses the Hungarian Holy Crown and the coronation jewels: the sceptre, the sword and the orb.
Today’s Hungarian legislature is unicameral, and the vast interior of the Chamber of Deputies is shaped like a horseshoe.
The Parliament building is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Group visits start from the Visitor Centre.
The 45-minute guided tour of the Parliament building is available with an audioguide or a professional tour guide in Hungarian, English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. Other guided tours with an audioguide are available in Polish, Slovakian and Croatian too.
entrance fee: visitors from the EU 6 000 HUF https://jegymester.hu/event-host/900/parlament
More information about the Parliament: https://www.parlament.hu/en/web/visitors
on the way
to the second stop
Lánchíd (Chain Bridge): the first permanent bridge on the entire stretch of the Danube in Hungary, constructed by Adam Clark. It was built in neoclassical style and opened on 20 November 1849. It was destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. The bridge was rebuilt in 1949, has been continuously restored, now, unfortunately, there is a complete renovation and is partly closed.
Budavári Sikló (Funicular): Opened in 1870 and renovated in 1986, the Buda Castle Sikló is an industrial monument. It is a 95 m long track, with a 48% gradient, carries passengers to and from the castle on two trolleys with steps.
Open: every day 08:00 – 22:00, ticket price: 4 000 HUF (return)
várkert bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar)
the second stop
Várkert Bazár is a World Heritage Site. It was built between 1875 and 1883, under the Buda Castle, based on the plans of Miklós Ybl (his best-known works include the Hungarian State Opera House, the main building of Corvinus University of Budapest, the Várkert Bazaar, St Stephen’s Basilica and the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Fót)), and completely renovated in 2014.
The Neo-Renaissance complex was originally a commercial complex, with arcades that once housed shops.
The building was severely damaged during World War II.
Between 1961 and 1984 the building was home to the Buda Youth Park, which hosted popular music events and concerts. In 1980, during a concert, the stone wall of the staircase leading to the entrance of the park collapsed. Soon the building was completely closed.
The renovation started in the summer of 2013 and was mainly funded by European Union grants.
Today it hosts exhibitions, cultural events, concerts and you can also take a relaxing walk in the Renaissance garden.
some fun facts
The 1956 revolution was followed by the dictatorship of the Kádár regime with the help of the Soviets. This was the period of socialism. The country was completely cut off from the western part of Europe as part of the Eastern Bloc. We were behind the so-called Iron Curtain, you could not travel, you could not, for example, buy popular goods from the West.
The Várkert Bazaar was a hotbed of youth. It was where the various cultural events and concerts took place, under strict control of course.
In the sixties and seventies, for example, boys were only allowed to go to concerts in light-coloured shirts, jackets and ties, girls in blouses and skirts. It seems funny now, but if you weren’t dressed like that, you simply weren’t allowed in. The boys would of course put their ties on, and when they got through the checkpoint they would immediately take them off, many of them throwing them outside the walls.
You couldn’t wear long hair because it was a Western custom and it was bad for society.
Books, films, newspapers were censored, in fact you could not produce or publish works without the approval, or at least the tacit approval, of the party.
Under socialism, long hair and jeans became a symbol of rebellion against the system.
The radio played mainly Italian and Hungarian hits, and there was a radio programme called Free Europe, which could only be listened to in secret at night because it played Western music and anti-establishment lyrics.
Then slowly, after the Beatles came out, beat music and this feeling of life started to spread. Hungarian bands learned the songs by heart and played them in concerts. You can imagine how they sang the English lyrics. With zero knowledge of English, by ear.
Then, by the 1980s, it started to soften up, a lot of things started to happen, and finally, in 1989, the regime change happened.
The regime change was not a violent armed uprising. Historians say that it might have been better to have had a revolution, as in Romania, for example.
IF WE'RE LUCKY, THE ESCALATOR IS WORKING, SO WE CAN GET TO THE LIFT, WHICH WILL TAKE US UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR, WHERE OUR MEETING POINT IS. THE LIFT CAN ONLY CARRY 10 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
Budavári Palota (The Buda Castle Palace)
the third stop
is one of the main cultural and tourist centres of Budapest and the former royal palace. As part of the Buda Castle District, it has been a World Heritage Site of Budapest since 1987.
The Royal Palace was built during the reigns of Louis I (the Great) of Anjou (1342-82), Sigismund of Luxembourg (1387-1437) and Matthias Hunyadi (1458-90), and was a European seat of power in Gothic and later Renaissance style.
In 1541 the Turkish conquerors conquered the castle by trickery, and for 150 years a muezzin called the faithful to prayer to Allah from the tower of the former Church of the Assumption. Because of the battles fought for the castle, most of the dwellings retain only fragments of their pre-Turkish past. During the siege to retake the castle, the palace was severely damaged. During the final siege in 1686, an explosion of gunpowder piled up under the royal palace destroyed most of the palace and the castle.
It was not until nearly a hundred years later, in 1770, in the reign of Maria Theresa, that work began on rebuilding the Palace.
Excavations and reconstruction have been ongoing ever since, but the damage suffered during the Second World War severely set back progress.
Várudvar (Palace courtyard): Hungarian National Gallery, statue of the colt taming the colt, Matthias Fountain, Lion Gate (Romanesque style), Budapest History Museum, National Széchenyi Library
Turul: the totem animal of the ancient Hungarians. Its statue was erected to commemorate the millennium. The Turul was a bird like a hunting falcon.
Mátyás-kút (Matthias fountain): The popular fountain is located in the Hunyadi Courtyard, the most beautiful courtyard of the Royal Palace.The popular attraction depicts King Matthias and his entourage resting at a spring while hunting.
The statue was sculpted by Alajos Stróbl and has stood in this place since 1904.
QUIZ
tap here for the solution
on the way
to the fourth stop
Sándor-palota (The Alexander Palace): was built in 1806 according to the plans of Mihály Pollack. It is a typical classicist building. It was in ruins for a long time after the World War II. The building, which was destroyed during the siege of 1944-45, was externally restored in 1983. Complete restoration (exterior and interior) was carried out between 2000 and 2002. After its renovation in 2002, it became the seat of the Office of the President of the Republic.
Karmelita kolostor (Carmelite monastery): The building complex consists of two larger units: the former two-storey Carmelite monastery with an enclosed inner courtyard and the church building. The complex was built between 1725 and 1736 in late Baroque style. After the dissolution of the Carmelite Order (1784), the church was rebuilt. Its tower was demolished and it became a theatre in 1787.
The Castle Theatre was the first permanent theatre in Buda. It is the only theatre building in Hungary from the 18th century that was a performance venue until recently. There was also another theatre here, the National Dance Theatre, which moved from here because of the changed situation of the Carmelite monastery. Because in 2016, a major renovation was started on the building, with the aim of moving the Prime Minister’s Office there.
This decision did not cause complete satisfaction among the Hungarian people, as the cost of the renovation is unclear, but it could have been as high as 25-30 billion forints.
Dísz tér (the main square): the main square, the central marketplace and the place of execution of the medieval city were built on the border of the royal palace quarter and the bourgeois town.
It was here that King László Hunyadi – the brother of the future King Matthias – was beheaded in 1457 by King László V.
Mátyás templom (Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle, Matthias Church)
the fourth stop
Here you will have free time. Please note the meeting time. If you would like to spend more time here, or perhaps see the city lights from here, please let me know.
The building dedicated to the Assumption, but called Matthias Church, was the site of coronations and royal weddings. Its construction began in the 13th century under King Béla IV in the early Gothic style. In the 15th century, Louis I (the Great) had built the southern gate, known as the Gate of Mary. King Matthias, who had both his weddings here, had the church extended. The south tower was built by Matthias in 1470. This tower was decorated with the raven crest of Matthias. This is where the more commonly used name of Matthias Church comes from.
The church was converted into a mosque under Turkish rule and rebuilt in the Baroque style after the recapture of the castle. Its present neo-Gothic form was completed at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The frescoes and interior decorations were painted during this period by the most famous artists of the time, Károly Lotz, Bertalan Székely and Mihály Zichy.
King Béla III of Hungary (1173- 1196) and his wife rest in the chapel of the Holy Trinity in his ornate sarcophagus.
Open: 9:00-17:00
entrance fee: 2 500 HUF (church), 2 900 HUF (tower)
more information: https://matyas-templom.hu/home
in this area
you can find
Szentháromság tér (Holy Trinity Square):Here stands the Holy Trinity statue in front of Matthias Church, the Fisherman’s Bastion behind the church and the ruined Dominican monastery to the north.
Szentháromság szobor (The Holy Trinity statue): it is an important work of the Baroque period. The hexagonal obelisk, nearly 15 metres high, is made of limestone and richly decorated with sculptures. The statues in the composition are 1,8 and 2,8 metres high, topped by a group of statues of the Holy Trinity, with floating angels and clouds on their trunks. The statue was erected in 1713 on behalf of the Buda burghers to commemorate and protect them from the plague.
Szent István király szobor (King Stephen statue): The statue of King Stephen, the founder of the state, was unveiled in 1906 in Buda Castle. The statue on horseback is the work of Alajos Stróbl. The pedestal is 5.5 metres high and was designed by the architect of the Fisherman’s Bastion, Frigyes Schulek. The pedestal is surrounded by an oval-shaped, open-work balustrade with the Lamb of God and the four evangelists. The main figure of the composition, King Stephen on horseback, wears the Holy Crown. The reliefs on the base depict the highlights of Stephen’s reign, the coronation, the legislation and the building of the temple.
Halászbástya (Fisherman’s Bastion): It was built between 1895 and 1902 on the site of an old fortress, on 18th century ramparts, but never served defensive purposes.
The neo-Romanesque building, designed by Frigyes Schulek, is a landmark in the Budapest cityscape. Its seven towers symbolize the seven conquering leaders.
open: 9:00 – 19:00, entrance fee: 1 200 HUF to the upper deck, the lower deck is free of charge
some fun facts
There are a lot of folk tales about King Matthias. A recurring element in these is that the king spies on life in the country in disguise. If you stop anyone in the street and ask them what they think of King Matthias, they will tell you that he was just. There is also a saying that if Matthias died, justice is lost.
On the contrary, historians say that Matthias was not at all just.
He had a very harsh tax policy, he carried out executions. But in doing so, he strengthened the country.
There are also speculations about his death. Some think he was poisoned, others think he was murdered. The final conclusion is that he probably died of a stroke.
Buda Hills and wine
From Roman times until the late 1800s, vineyards covered the slopes of the Buda Hills (including the entire Gellért Hill). People also drank wine instead of water.
A siege was held here in 1302. The soldiers could not take the castle with weapons. However, the grapes ripened and began to be consumed. The farmers in the castle were so angry that they opened the gates and chased the soldiers all the way to Székesfehérvár.
Bécsi kapu tér (Vienna Gate square)
our last stop
The Vienna Gate is the northern gate of the Castle, the city’s gateway since the Middle Ages. From here the road led north towards Esztergom and west towards Vienna. The Vienna Gate itself was restored in 1936 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Turkish expulsion.
Opposite the Vienna Gate stands a baroque Lutheran church.
On the north side of the square is the colourful majolica tiled roof palace of the National Archives, built in the neo-Romanesque style between 1913 and 1920.
Next to it, in a stylistic break from modern architecture, is the glass-walled warehouse of the National Archives.
in this area
you can find
Kapisztrán tér (Kapisztrán square)
Mária Magdolna templom (Mária Magdalena Church):
The church was built in the mid-13th century. It was converted into a mosque during the Turkish occupation. It was badly damaged in the II World War and was demolished, only the tower was saved. Today it has a viewpoint and bells are played every hour.
Hadtörténeti Múzeum (Military History Museum):
open: Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, entrance fee: 2 000 HUF, from 2 August 2022, the exhibitions of the Museum of Military History will be open to visitors free of charge.
more information: https://militaria.hu/en
Buda panorama: vérmező (Blood field – where the leaders of the secret organisation of the Hungarian Jacobins were beheaded. In the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the park was a field where military exercises were carried out and horseback riding was allowed. Many victims of the Second World War were buried here in mass graves).
My suggestions
other attractions
BUDAPEST SPAS
Budapest is one of the biggest and most exciting cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Amongst its most popular attractions are undoubtedly its thermal baths, now renowned throughout the world. Although Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, has only officially carried the title as a Spa City for 80 years, its unique facilities were fully recognized by Roman legio-naries over 2000 years ago! According to available records, there were then 14 baths in the city at that time, some of whose remaining foundations and walls can be seen in Óbuda to this day. Most of the baths open today were established by the Turks, examples of which, the Rudas and the Király Baths, are still in operation after five hundred years. At that period in history, our city was called the Mecca of Rheumatics due to the salutary effects of its thermal waters.
The thermal spa nearest to the language school: Lukács Fürdő https://en.lukacsfurdo.hu/
The most popular: Széchenyi Fürdő https://www.szechenyibath.hu/
MUSEUMS
Museum of Fine Arts https://www.mfab.hu/exhibitions
Museum of Applied Arts https://www.imm.hu/en/exhibits/
Hungarian National Museum https://mnm.hu/en
Street art https://budapestflow.com/where-to-find-street-art-budapest/
https://budapestflow.com/budapest-street-art-map/
OTHERS
Parliament and Shoes on the Danube Bank (Waterside shoe sculptures memorializing those killed at the river by a fascist party during WWII),
Opera House and many beautiful buildings on Andrássy street,
Danube Promenade with Vigadó,
Margaret Island with Lumina Park
Fashion street – footwear, apparel, accessories, beauty products and restaurants. All in one place.
IT IS WORTH TAKING TRAM 2 between Jászai Mari tér (terminus) and Március 15 tér. You can see the sights of Pest and Buda from here, like a mini city tour.
FOOD AND DRINK YOU MUST TRY
Fisherman’s soup (Halászlé)
Goulash (Gulyás)
Chicken Paprikash (Csirke paprikás)
Hungarian Lecsó
Sólet
The Hungarian street food: Lángos
Sponge Cake (Somlói galuska)
Chimney cake (Kürtöskalács)
Fröccs
Pálinka
Unicum
CAFEÉS, CONFECTIONARIES
New York Café
New York Palace, built in eclectic Italian Renaissance-style and opened on October 23rd 1894, gives home to the New York Palace. The café, along with a restaurant and the Nyugat -bar are now part of the hotel. The menu recalls the multicultural cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Classic dishes like Beef Goulash, Fishermen Soup, Chicken Leg Paprikash-style, Wiener Schnitzel and Grilled Foie Gras are served along with famous desserts such as Dobos, Sacher and Eszterházy cake. location
Gerbeaud Café
Gerbeaud has a history going back more than 160 years. In addition to cakes and tarts, their handcrafted bonbons, chocolates, biscuits and handmade cakes made with the finest ingredients, free of additives and preservatives, are also available in their webshop, too. Located in Budapest’s hottest spot, next to Fashion street. location
Molnar’s kürtőskalács (chimney cake)
The kürtőskalács is a Székely festival cake. it was madefor wedding, baptism or for the receptin of important guests. Its delicious receiprt was altered by the traditions and the different local custom for centuries. Initially, the Székely men baked this dessert after bread baking above the hot ember.The cake made this way was the classical type. Later the wise Székely peoplerealised that the hot, sticky caramel layer of the melt sugar can easily keep the chopped walnut, with which the enjoyable flavour can be enhanced further. After a long time of experimentation the 8 most popular flavours are: vanilla, cinnamon, walnut, almond, chocolate, coconut, cocoa and poppy-seed. location
WHERE TO EAT?
Gettó Gulyás
Gettó Gulyás is a cozy Hungarian restaurant inside Budapest’s party district, also known as the old Jewish Quarter. The restaurant’s name makes its culinary priorities clear — the short menu features the heart of Magyar cuisine with staples like goulash (€5), chicken and veal paprikash (€8-12), and various seasonal vegetable stews called főzelék. “Gettó” refers to the Jewish ghetto, what this neighborhood became during the winter of 1944, the darkest time of WWII in Budapest. location
Rosenstein Restaurant
Rosenstein is an iconic restaurant in Budapest serving traditional Hungarian and Hungarian-Jewish dishes. Tibor Rosenstein, nearing eighty, started this family-run operation, which is located a bit outside the city center and currently helmed by his son Róbert (at lunchtime, Rosenstein senior is often seen chatting away with regulars). Though pricey by local standards, Rosenstein shows off the brightest side of Hungarian cuisine. location
Trófea Grill Restaurant
All you can eat and drink restaurant. They nearly 100 dishes at the buffet and the open kitchen, and now king prawns, salmon, bluefin tuna and beef tenderloin are always available. location
Csalánosi Csárda Óbuda
In the cobbled centre of Óbuda, you can enjoy the finest Hungarian cuisine and live music every day of the week in the cosy, enclosed garden and interior of our tavern. Thanks to the nearby prefabricated houses and Roman ruins, you can get a taste of Óbuda’s architectural diversity. Time travel, style and atmosphere. A drop of the beauty of the countryside and the spirit of the era of the taverns. location
Tips of 10 to 15% are expected in reastaurants. Don’t leave the money on the table. If they tell you the amount and you give banknotes, tell the waiter/waitress the amount you wish to pay. If you say ’Thank you’ it will be assumed that you do not want any change back.
Please note that there are restaurants/pubs/cafés, especially in tourist resorts, where extra charges may apply or the bill may be overcharged. Always be careful and check the bill.
14 underground spots you need to try in Budapest’s party district
gallery
Converzum Tudomány Nyelviskola Zrt.
1023 Budapest,
Lajos utca 11-15., Hungary
tel: +36 1 368 11 56
